Safety screen for tobacco-curing flues



A. S. GREEN Sept. 16 1924.

I SAFETY SCREEN FOR TOBACCO CURING FLUES Filed Aug. 11. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

. lllll-I G No: we q \\l Mg M yqu A. S. GREEN SAFETY SCREEN FOR TOBACCO CURING FLUES I Sept. 1a, 1924. 1,598,958

FiledAug. 11. 1921 sneewwsnem 2 q a Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

UNITED STTES ALEXANDER S. GREEN, OF OXFORD, NORTH CAROLINA.

SAFETY SCREEN FOR TOBACCO-CURING FLUES.

Application filed August 11, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that ALEXANDER S. GREEN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Oxford, in the county of Granville and State of North Carolina, has invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Screens for Tobacco-Curing Flues, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means in connection with barns employed in the operation of flue curing tobacco for preventing the tobacco suspended in the fine from dropping upon the grating or furnace top at the bottom of the fine and becoming ignited thereby with the consequent risk of the destruction not only of the stock of tobacco in the flue or barn but of the barn itself; and more particularly to provide a guard screen for the purpose indicated which may be readily displaced or folded into and out of the way with relation with the flue during the operations of swinging or hanging or removing the bundles of tobacco leaves to avoid interference with the movements of the operators; and with this object in View the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a portion of a tobacco flue equipped with the screen embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the screen showing the fine in section.

Figures 3 and 4 are views respectively similar to Figures 1 and 2 showing the screen in its folded position.

The screen which is indicated generally at 10 is adapted to be arranged in transverse relation with the flue 11 at a distance above the furnace or heating device indicated at 12 sufficient to prevent the communication to any tobacco which may drop upon the screen of a sufficient degree of heat to cause ignition thereof, said screen being disposed as a barrier between the stock holding portion of the fine and the heating device and at a suflicient distance below the lower series of rack bars 13 to avoid interference with tobacco which may be suspended on the latter. The screen consists of a series of sections preferably arranged in pairs of which the members 14 and 14 are hingedly connected together at their adjacent edges, each screen section Serial No. 491,498.

having a marginal frame 15, and the hinges consisting of wire coils 16 lent thereof. Also the adjacent edges of the pairs of sections may be hinged together as indicated at 17 with the adjacent edges of the terminal sections free and adapted to be secured in adjacent relation by suspendwhich the adjacent screen sections of adoining pairs have a sliding co-nnectlon through guide eyes 21.

Therefore when the fastening means by which the free edges of the sets of sections are normally connected are disengaged, it being understood that each set of sections may contemplate a number of pairs of sections as shown in the drawing wherein each set comprises two pairs of screen sections, the pairs of sections may be folded upon each other while the connected edges of the sections of adjoining pairs slide on the guide rods to fold the screen into a compact form at the ends of the guide rods to leave the flue substantially open for the operation of hanging or removing the tobacco.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is l. A safety screen for tobacco curing fines adapted for arrangement between the tobacco racks and the furnace atthe lower end of the flue, consisting of foldably connected sections and means for guiding the same transversely of the fine to permit of ac cess thereto.

2. A safety screen for tobacco curing fines adapted for arrangement between the tobacco racks and the furnace at the lower end of the flue, consisting of sections arranged in pairs of which the members are foldable into substantially parallel relation.

3. A safetyv screen for tobacco curing fines or any equiva adapted for arrangement between the tobacco racks and the furnace at the lower end of the flue, consisting of sections arranged in pairs of which the members are foldable into substantially parallel relation and transverse guide rods'for supporting the marginal edges of each pair of sections.

a. A safety screen for tobacco curing flues adapted for arrangement between the tobacco racks and the furnace at the lower end of the flue, consisting of independent sets of screen sections arranged in pairs with the members of each pair connected for folding movement into substantially parallel relation.

5. A- safety screen for tobacco curing flues adapted for arrangement between the tobacco racks and the furnace at the lower end of the flue, consisting of independent sets of screen sections arranged in pairs with the members of each pair connected for folding movement into substantially parallel relation and guide rods disposed in transverse relation to the lines of folding of said pairs and serving to support the marginal edges of said pairs.

6. A safety screen for tobacco curing flues adapted for arrangement between the tobacco racks and the furnace at the lower end of the flue, consisting of independent sets of screen sections arranged in pairs with the members of each pair connected for folding movement into substantially parallel relation and guide rods disposed in transverse relation to the lines of folding of said pairs, and the marginal edges of adjoining pairs being hingedly connected and having a sliding mounting upon said guide bars.

7. A safety screen for tobacco curing fiues with intermediate portions of the adapted for arrangement between the tobacco racks and the furnace at the lower end of the flue, consisting of independent sets of screen sections arranged in pairs with the members of each pair connected for folding movement into substantially parallel relation and guide rods disposed in transverse relation to the lines of folding of said pairs, and the marginal edges of adjoining pairs being hingedly connected and having a sliding mounting upon said guide bars, means being provided for securing the free edges of the sets of sections in adjacent relation.

8. A safety screen for tobacco curing flues adapted for arrangement between the tobacco racks and the furnace at the lower end. of the flue, consisting of independent sets of screen sections arranged in pairs with the members of each pair connected for folding movement into substantially parallel relation and guide rods: disposed in transverse relation to the lines of folding of said pairs, and the marginal edges of adjoining pairs being hingcdlyconnected and having a sliding mounting upon said guide bars, hangers being provided for detachable engagement screen for preventing the sagging thereof.

In testimony whereof he afliXes his signature.

ALEXANDER s. GREEN. 

